bgambino

ok here's what I found Pulled the small wire off the starter No voltage in the wire with key on..but test light lights up when turning key to start Left wire off and ran a wire from the spade terminal of starter to the positive side of battery,,,when I touched battery with wire, it would spark (no sound from starter) As soon as I would release the wire from the poitive terminal, I would hear a faint click from the starter sounds like a dead starter?

Gloyale Can you explain why you said that you cannot do a comp. test without the belt installed? As long as the cams are in a safe spot (relaxed) and you open the throttle plate... What am I missing here thanks

great thanks So...where is the NSS? What does it look like...? And how can I be sure it is the problem? a way to test it or bypass it to test if it is it I am at work and will not work on the car till later today---so I am trying to get a plan in place I love this board....!

thanks John so use what? something like a single 10-12 ga. wire and jump the small terminal..after unplugging it? Curious....if that is ok to do...why is the other wire so huge? Ok,,,,if I get nothing...maybe its a dead starter...or...maybe the remote starter has everything locked down (fuse maybe)? I have to call the guy this morning and pick his brain I am still very curious about the NS switch...wouldn't this do exactly what is happening to me?

Thanks...while I will check that...I am doubtful this is it (altho a bum starter could certainly be it). I am meticulous with cleanliness and maintenance. BTW...how do you hot wire the starter from the battery? If the nuetral S switch was bad...would this work?

96 OB wagon 2.5 automatic hit my remote starter this morning and went out to the car and it was not running . Have had remote starter for 4 months and been working flawlessly Soo I thought maybe it was this...but then I'm thinking maybe it's something else turn key and all lights come on bright...just nothing when turning to start Remote starter does same...all dash lights come on...it attempts to start (no discernable noise except maybe a relay click.....does this three times like it should...then disables itself) I moved shift lever back and forth..tried starting in nuetral and park again...and still the same What about the nuetral safety switch? Could it just fail overnight? Where is it? Can I disable/bypass it to see if this is the culprit?? I don;t want to tow it to the starter guy if it's not his problem --I will call him just to ask about his unit and if this could happen any other thoughts? thanks guys

of course there is one more alternative....I put two anti foulers in my back cat and no more annoying check engine light and P0420 code

This light is on in my mom's Forester...anyone had any experience with this or is it strictly something that has to go to the dealer for diagnosis?

bheinen Ummm I stand corrected ..thank you All the better it is a manual tranny...costs less And I agree with Gary....if the car looks in good shape, the head gasket problem does NOT mean it wasn;t taken care of....neither does a bum tranny--especially since some here have already stated some issues with them....both are abuse,,,but caused by subaru!

John Welcome to the board! There's plenty of good info here...and some strong opinions at times too...LOL If you do the job yourself and the car is in good or even excellent cond.....I would proceed. No reason you cannot get 120K more very easily. (maybe it will cost you $1500/1800--including sending the heads for a valve job) I did my first head gasket job a little over a year ago. I actually had to do it twice as the lower end bearing must have been damaged when it was over heating on the previous owner. The second time I had to drop a rebuilt block in. There's not much you can decipher on used trannys...if you can drive a car first (someone selling from a complete parts car) ...that would be great. Check the fluid ...the redder the better...the browner is worse...smell it...if burnt smelling, is not good. And of course the lower the mileage on the tranny the better. There are motors and trannys that are imported from subaru wrecks directly from Japan (JDM they are called...)...google it or see who on the board has used them. If you decide to do it, private message me as I have tons of printed info I can email you that helped me.

Q Thanks for your reasonable logical response...you are 100% correct...in 98% of winter driving cases, if you are travelling at a safe speed, ABS is a benefit. (of course, as for your Darwin comment...we part was 180 degrees...there is someone far more powerful than he who will take care of all things...but that is better left for some other forum....)

Q I never disagreed with you...I'm on your side ABS in the snow certainly has advantages...but let's not be blind to the disadvantages that even the manufacturer warns about...."stopping distances in snow may very well be longer"......and this could be true no matter what speed you are going People should not take that to mean it is best to disable it.....it means, "don't assume that the insignia on your car "ABS" automatically means it is better under all stopping conditions" ....and most people like me were under a false impression (clearly my fault) As an aside...I was coming down my paved driveway yesterday with about 2" of new snow...I tried stopping while in gear(automatic) and in nuetral and did not notice any appreciable difference in the ABS actions....from what I thought I read earlier, there was supposed to be a difference..?

Q Maybe you missed my point ABS is touted as the greatest thing since sliced bread(ok, a slight exaggeration). The fact is, 98% of the driving public has no clue that IT MAY INCREASE the stopping distance in snow and ice. Slowing down goes without question...but it has nothing to do with my comment. Sounds like you are taking this whole subject personally

all I can say is that this post was VERY telling.... "Per the '98 OBW owner's manual: "when driving on...icy roads, over deep newly fallen snow, stopping distances may be longer with a vehicle with ABS than one without." Now...yes, SHAME on me for not reading my 96 owners manual with a fine tooth comb even tho I have been driving soobs since 1980 BUT.....I would bet that over 95% of people out there have no idea this is a possibility! I would have bet a paycheck against that comment being true...why? The propaganda is that ABS is better in all/every situation. When has the general public ever heard anything to the contrary? I am shocked to read this. And okay....you few brainiacs who have no life and all you do is read about cars....fine...no need to put the 98% of us down because this is a new revalation for us But don't you think this is a CRITICAL bit of knowledge that somehow should be in the minds of the public? But then again let's face it....when are the negatives of any product brought to the fore?----the problem here is that it can mean lives I'm thankful for hearing this as now I have some testing and practicing to do....But what about the other 97% who have never heard about this....?

My 96 is my second car with ABS and I still am uncomfortable with it on the snow. It may all be in my mind but it just seems that when the brakes lock, the car naturally lunges and pitches forward some and the front wheels are more prone to digging in and thru some of the snow so as to reach the road surface. As for it all being in my mind...for decades one is used to frantically pumping the brakes like a mad man....sliding ...and your heart pounding during a skid...LOL With ABS you just sit there and push as hard as hell and you feel at the mercy of a machine to do the job.....like you have much less control (of course I mean about stopping--it's obvious that you have much better control of the steering with the ABS) I guess what I/one of us should do is do some unscientifically controlled tests with and w/o the ABS and measure the stopping distances. If the ABS truly stops sooner...that may help ease the mind game going on up stairs. As an aside....my nieces 96 legacy's ABS unit had a slight hum sound with the key off and the battery was being killed....so I diconnected it some time back. Can the electrical part only be replaced (do you have to disconnect brake lines at the ABS?). And what's involved in doing so? Anyone got one?

Gary Well...I assumed they would be available...I will find out Nipper...you got any idea since ytou were doing to change out yours?

I want to replace mine. 96 OBW. I have some seats from a 97 parts car and I think I will experiment by doing surgery on it first .... But if anyone has done it, I would appreciate some how to before I go full steam and butcher the thing. I undersdtand you need hog rings and pliers to finish the job...not sure what that is but once in there, I'm sure it will be apparent Nipper...I guess I may be sharing with you this time.....

I would say it jumped a tooth on the timing belt but I would have thought it would run lousy too....must be related to your timing belt job. Did you do it or who?

Durania Let us know your impression when installed please ---not only the difference n light output from stock but install issues as well (altho you can tell me about thaqt part now). I may go for the 6000's I love the display on their web page showing the various intensities...great idea The one down side is their price baiting,,,,$80 looked great! until you get to the fine fineprint that says "oh, if you have combined hi/lo beams...its not 80 its 150......like, who doesn't?

Okay,,,but heres the thing...I have a P0420 but of course I dont know if the front or rear is bad right? And the CEL is lit So, are we saying that if the rear is shot...the anti fouler would solve the lite as well as having normal gas mileage? And if it is the front that is bad...putting the anti fouler in the rear will change nothing (lite will stay on)? I could dump 200+ by buying both from the west coast...but I have more in this baby than it is worth....block from CCR...valve job, brakes all around a bit of body work...the works. I would love to avoid another expense

I understand the concept of using the anti-fouler in the rear O2 sensor in hopefully turning off the MIL....but here's my question....will things function normally from a gas mileage perspective? Specifically, will the gas mileage be the same doing this trick vs. replacing the O2 sensor(s)??? If you are getting say 2 MPG less using the A-F vs replacing the O2 sensors, it would not take long for the extra mileage to pay for the sensors Prefer an answer from someone knowledgable than guesses..no offense to anyone

just to be sure....turn the key on (engine not running) and make sure the check engine lite is functioning . it would seem that it should have thrown a code with these symtoms

so what sealer does eveyone use on this? the ultra grey stuff? On the permatex website the ultra grey does not specifically say used for trans pans This stuff does list tranny pans..."Permatex® Anaerobic Flange Sealant"...they also have a high temp version of same that lists trans pans any experience here?

so I was under my 96 OB and was draining the fluid...saw some wetness on one corner of the pan. Got my sockets out and then saw that not 1...not 2 but 3 bolt heads were gone. All are adjacent to one another in a corner. Cannot believe someone could do that to 3! I assume that whoever it was in the past was tightening them. So 2 questions... Is my best/only hope trying an easy-out? Never had success with those! I will try with the pan in place and see if I can do it without dropping it The pan has sealant and a gasket. Is this the norm? What does suby recommend (gasket or not?)

yes...I had one recently put in my 96 automatic and spoke to the guy about a manual install. It seemed pretty routine for him and he explained the sequence of what you have to do before getting out of the car. I'm going to have it done as a surprise gift for my neice in a few weeks--she has a manual impreza